Stem clipping shears



Nov. 22, 1955 A. J. DEGELOW, SR

STEM CLIPPING SHEARS Filed Jan. 51, 1955 R 5 WW u E 6 KS m7... m In T E T w A A Y B Z dJ 4 T United States Patent STEM CLIPPING SHEARS Albert J. Degelow, Sn, Shelbyville, Ind. Application January 31, 1955, Serial No. 484,929 4 Claims. (C1. 30- 232) This invention relates. to shears primarily adapted to be used in clipping stems such as stems of blooms of chrysanthemums, roses, and the like, and has as one of its primary objects the forming or a shearing structure whereby the stem of the bloom to be cut off may be gripped in the hand which operates theshears so that the Operator may cut off the stem, hold the stem and then transfer it to a basket or tray or whatever may be employed to collect the blooms after they have been cut off. That is, the operator may shear the stem and by the same hand grip the stem and transfer it to the collecting re ceiver.

The device also may be used in pruning, in detasseling corn such as is required in producing hybrid corn, and obviously in many other fields.

The device embodying the invention may be made in either left or right hand structures (herein shown as a right hand structure).

A further important object of the invention is to provide a structure of the nature above indicated which may be easily operated and light in weight. Also it is a further object of the invention to provide such a structure in an exceedingly simplified form in the absence of cams, gears, and the like so that the structure may be produced at a relatively low cost of manufacturing.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention which is made in reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig.1 is a view in side elevation and partial section of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation and partial section; and

Fig. 3 is a view in top plan of the structure in a normally opened condition.

A pair of shear blades and 11 are pivoted one in overlapping relation with the other by means of a pin 12 at common ends thereof. These blades 10 and 11 have opposing cutting edges 13 and 14. As indicated in the drawings, the blade 11 is mounted in overlapping relation in respect to the blade 10.

On the blade 10, near its forward end there is mounted a post 15 and likewise in a similar position at the forward end portion of the blade 11 there is mounted a post 16. Each of these posts 15 and 16 is mounted to rock around a vertical axis, and this mounting is accomplished as indicated in Fig. l by means of a stud 17 extending downwardly through the blade 11 from the underside of the post to be headed over by a head 18 on the underside of the blade 11.

Each post 15 and 16 has a bore extending horizontally therethrough. An arm 20 is formed to have a lower foot 21 turned to extend at substantially right angles to the main body thereof. This foot 21 has a reduced diameter length 22 which rockably extends through the bore 19 of the post 16 and is fixed against horizontal displacement longitudinally of the foot 21 by means of a nut 23 screwice 2 threadedly engaging a portion of the length 22 which extends on beyond the post 16. The foot 21 is free to rock in the post 16 about its axis. A second arm 24 is formed to have a forwardly extending foot 25 which rockably extends through the post 15 in the same rnanner as does the foot 21 in respect to the post 16. That is, both the feet 21 and 25 are rockable in respect to the posts 16 and 15. The upper ends of these arms 21 and 25 have end portions 26 and 27 turned respectively one toward the other from their upper end portions, and these members 26 and 27 are pivotally interconnected by any suitable means such as by the pin or screw 28.

On the arm 24 there is fixed a metal strap 29 to extend longitudinally along the outer side thereof and carry a strap 30 on its outer side. This strap 30 extends downwardly from the upper end of the metal strap or plate 29 and thence around upwardly again to a buckle 31 which will receive a free end 32 of the strap extending from the upper end of the plate 29. Preferably there is fixed a length of a rigid member such as a metal bar 33 to the inner side of the outer upwardly extending flight 34 of the strap 30. The end of the flight 34 is fixed to the buckle 31, and by adjusting the end portion 32 of the strap through the buckle 31, the spacing of the flight 34 from the arm 24 may be varied to accommodate various sized fingers of the operator.

There is a thumb receiving strap 35 fixed to the outer side of the arm 20. This strap 35 is supported by a metal member 36 secured to the outer side of the arm 20 and extending outwardly thereunder by a foot 37. In the structure herein shown, Fig. 2, the upper end portion of the strap 35 is fixed to a buckle 38 which in turn receives the free end 39 of the strap 35 for adjustability.

To use the structure thus far described, the operator will grasp the arms 20 and 25 by his hand 40 to have his fingers extend through the opening between the metal member 33 and the strap 30 which lies along the metal plate or bar 29 and make suitable adjustment to have the fingers gripped rather snugly. The thumb is extended within the strap 35 and that strap is also adjusted to grip the thumb rather snugly. Then by working the thumb in and out toward the fingers, the arms 20 and 24 will swing about their upper connecting pivot pin 28 to in turn swing the blades 10 and 11 about their interconnecting pin 12 so as to cause those blades to travel from the solid line position, Fig. 3 to the dash line position and the reverse. In this operation, as the arms 20 and 24 are swung outwardly, the feet 21 and 25 will rock about their horizontal axes through the posts 16 and 15 and simultaneously these posts 16 and 15 will rock on their vertical axes. To limit the rocking of the posts 16 and 15 about their vertical axes, the blades 10 and 11 are preferably provided with stops 44 and 45 and fiat sides of the posts may rock toward and away from the stops.

The thumb and fingers of the operator will be spread apart to bring the shear blades 10 and 11 to their open positions, Fig. 3, and then brought up to the stem 46 of the plant to be sheared, Fig. l, to have the stem brought back within the space between the two blades 10 and 11 so that the stem may be between the thumb and fingers of the operator while the arms 20 and 24 are squeezed together to in turn cause the shear blades 10 and 11 to come together and shear off the stem. Then by one flip of the hand, the stem 46 may be thrown to one side or laid gently down in the collecting pile as may be desired without release of the fingers and thumb from the shearing structure, so that the hand is then ready to operate the device again for the next succeeding stem. v

A spring 50 held centrally under the head of the pin 28 has downwardly and outwardly extending legs 51 and 52 terminating in feet 53 and 54 entering respectively into the arms 20 and 24, normally swinging apart those arms to relieve the operator in opening the blades 10 and 11 one from the other. H

Therefore it is to be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple but most effective device for the purposes intended, and while I have herein shown the invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be required by the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. Stem clipping shears comprising a pair of cutting blades pivoted one, to the other in overlapping arrangement; an arm rockably connected to each blade and extending approximately normally from the plane of travel of the blades; means rockably interconnecting portions of the arms removed from said blades; a finger grip on one of said arms; and a thumb grip on the other said arm; said arms and grips being located intermediate the pivot axis of said blades and their free ends spacing the fingers and thumb of the operator for engagement of said stem between said arms and the operators finger tips and thumb as the stem is sheared by said blades.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said finger and thumb grips are encircling members'retaining said fingers and thumb in positions substantially fixed in all directions relative to said arms.

3. Hand operated stern clipping shears comprising a pair of cutting blades pivoted one to the other in overlapping arrangement; a post carried by each of said blades rockable about an axis normal to the plane of travel of the blades; a pair of arms pivoted one to the other; a foot on each of said arms at end portions removed from their pivoted ends and extending approximately at ninety degrees to said arms; and said feet rockably engaging said posts on axes parallel to said plane; the squeezing by hand of said arms rocking from said pivoted ends one arm toward the other, rocking said feet at said posts and rocking said posts in turn rocking said blades one over the other in shearing travel.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said posts are 10- coated adjacent the forward ends of said blades remote from said pivoting thereof and said feet extend from said posts over said blades in directions toward the pivoting point of said blades.

1,130,085 Hill Mar 2, 1915 

